ATIVAN vs DIAZEPAM

Independent side-by-side comparison.

Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated August 15, 2026·How we rate

Possible drug interaction. ATIVAN and DIAZEPAM are different prescription medicines. Combining or switching between them can cause interactions — talk to a pharmacist or prescriber before making changes. This page is not medical advice.

Attribute	ATIVAN	DIAZEPAM
Rating	68/100	68/100
Pharmacy pays	~$1.14 /30	~$0.87 /30
Type	RX	RX
Active ingredient	LORAZEPAM	DIAZEPAM
Manufacturer	Hikma	Aurobindo Pharma Ltd
Dosage forms	Injectable, Tablet	Injectable, Tablet
Drug class	Benzodiazepine	Benzodiazepine
Boxed warning	Boxed warning	Boxed warning
Half-life	about 12 hours (mean)	about 48 hours (up to 48 hours), but it varies strongly with age — roughly 20 hours at age 20 and rising by about 1 hour for each year of age
Treats	Anxiety Disorders, Catatonia, Depressive Disorder	Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium, Muscle Spasticity, Status Epilepticus

ativan diazepam

Rating

68/100

Pharmacy pays

~$1.14 /30

~$0.87 /30

Type

Active ingredient

LORAZEPAM

DIAZEPAM

Manufacturer

Hikma

Aurobindo Pharma Ltd

Dosage forms

Injectable, Tablet

Drug class

Benzodiazepine

Boxed warning

Half-life

about 12 hours (mean)

about 48 hours (up to 48 hours), but it varies strongly with age — roughly 20 hours at age 20 and rising by about 1 hour for each year of age

Treats

Anxiety Disorders, Catatonia, Depressive Disorder

Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium, Muscle Spasticity, Status Epilepticus

Frequently asked questions

Which is better-rated, Ativan or Diazepam?

Ativan and Diazepam are tied at 3.4 out of 5 by our independent rating.

Which is cheaper, Ativan or Diazepam?

Diazepam costs pharmacies less to acquire — about $0.87 vs $1.14 for a 30-count supply, per the CMS NADAC survey. That gap is in the pharmacy's cost of goods, not necessarily in what you pay: your price is set afterwards by your insurer and the pharmacy.

What is the difference between Ativan and Diazepam?

Ativan contains Lorazepam, while Diazepam contains Diazepam — they have different active ingredients.

Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data. This comparison is for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional before choosing or switching a medication.